Draft-gear key-retaining means



18 1 Oct 927 K. F. NYSTROM DRAFT GEAR KEY RETAINING MEANS Filed July 27, 1925 Patented Oct. 18, 1927. I

KARL I. NYSTROM, 01' CHICAGO, OIS.

DRAM-Gnu EY-murmurs arms.

Application filed m 27, 1925. Serial Io. 40,234.

My invention relates to means for retain- :ing the usual coupler and draft gear keysin place against accidental loss or undesired removal; the invention having for its object the provision of means which may not only be readily applied to the keys,'and. which may be employed with draft ears or rigging as now generally employe in standard railroad construction, but which maybe cheaply manufactured; at a cost materially less than the present cost of renewing of the cotter pins at present employedfor such purpose. 1 a

Another object of the invention is' the provision of means of such character as to withstand the strains and shearing action encountered in actual service or operation and therefore a construction which eliminates the possibility of the draft keys shifting or working out of place and thereby causing accidents and delay, as has been the case with the constructions at present in use wherein ordinary cotter pins are employed.

A further object of my invention is to provide means which is so constructed as not to become wedged or bound in any particular position by reason of the strains and movements encountered during operation of the car; while at the same time being of such formation that the cost of fabrication of both the key and the retaining means may be materially less than suchcost of the devices at present employed.

The above enumerated objects and advantages, as well as others, will all be more fully comprehended and understood from the description of the accompanying drawing,

' Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the center sillsand draft rigging of a. railroad car with my improved draft key retaining means.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in the directionof the arrows.

Figure 3 is .a detail perspective view of a draft rigging or coupler key adapted to receive my improved retaining means.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of my improved retaining means.

As an exemplification of my invention, I have shown its application to the coupler or draft keys of a well known type of draft gear; the drawing disclosing at 10, 10 the usual beams arranged in spaced-relation and constituting the center sill of a car; the beams being ally provided with cheek-' plates or reenforcing members as at 11. Longitudinally movable between the center sill memberslO, 10 are the usual coupler 12 and the yoke member 13 of the draft rigg- As the draft rigging per se does not constitute a part of my invention amore specific illustration and description thereof need not be entered into and for that reason the s rings and correlated elements are not s own. I

' The coupler and follower members of the draft gear or rigging are movably held in place and in proper relation" by means of the draft keys 14, 14, which pass through suitable'slots or openings in the coupler and draft rigging members or yoke and ,the' center sill members and cheek-plates or reenforcing members as shown at 15 in Fi ure 1; the slots inthe center sill and .reen orcing members or plates being of length greater than the width of the keys-14.

It has been generally customary to prevent removal of draft rigging keys, such as indicated at 14 by'what are geiierally designated as hairpin cotters,' which are usually inserted through small holes adjacent to the tapered end 0 the key; the other end of the keys usuall being rovided with a headed portion to imit and prevent further movement of the key through the corresponding draft or center sill slots.

Because of the relativel small diameter of the hairpin 'cotters and-t e relatively great thickness or depth of the keys, it'has been diflicult to punch the cotter holes in said keys, there not being sufiicient material in the punch to withstand the force necessary to 'punchthe hole through metal of such thickness. On this account, it has been found generally necessary to drill the holes for the hairpin cotters through the draft rigging keys, thereby entailing a relatively large tion of the pins with the slight amount of clearance between the key slot and the center sills or reenforcing plates thereon. The ends of the head portion 17 are preferably slightly rounded as shown at 18 so as to revent the pin binding or becoming we ged against the sides of the sill members.

By reason of the pin 16, the draft keys necessarily are provided with a comparatively large hole, as shownvat 19 in Figure 3.

With my invention, considerable saving is effected by making a hole or aperture in the end of the draft rigging key by apunching, or preferabl a plurality of punching operations, there y greatly decreasing the cost of such operation. Not only is the cost of forming t e retaining means apertures decreased by substituting punching for drillin operations, but a further saving is eifecte by utilizing only one retaining means apertured in an end ofa key, rather than two, as has beencustomary heretofore.

More specifically stated, the referred I form of my retaining means for raft rigging ,keys com rises the pin 16 formed with a stem. or sha of relatively large diameter compared with hairpin cotters generally employed for the purpose. The head 17 of relatively large and elongated formation is referably used, with the ends of said head being preferably rounded as stated and as shown at 18, for the reason heretofore mentioned; although it is obvious that I do not wish to belimited to this detail, as a erally elongated or reetan ar form 0 head may be employed, if desired.

The lower end of the shank of the pin 16 is preferabl provided with a hole or opening 20 for t e reception of an ordinary cotter pin as shown at 21, for the purpose of preventing accidental-removal of the pin 16;

' although the size and formation. of the pin would ordinarily prevent its accidental revsert/ed through the aperture 20 of the moval and loss.

To assemble my retaining device with a key 14 of ordinary construction, the hole or aperture 19' is unched in the end of said key, the pin 16 inserted in said apertureand locked in place by means of a cotter 21. in-

in The a erture- 19 in the key is prefera ibly form near enough to the respective center or draft sills so that when the retainin in 16 is in place there is' not room enough etween the aperture and the sill to allow the pin to turn completely around with respect to the key. By virtue of this construction,

.. .unduefwear. between the-pin 16 and the key 14 is' obviated.

The ends of the pin head, as illustrated in Figure 4, are referably rounded so that if the pin head s ould become turned so as to on age the side of the draft or center sills sue engagement would effect a repositioning or turning back of the pin head to its original position. When one side of the pin head has become unduly worn by rubbing 1 engagement against .the draft sills, the cotter 21 may be removed from the pin, the pin taken out of aperture 19 in the key and turned aroundto present the other elongated and relatively flat side of its head 17 toward the correspondingdraft sill. Such reversibility makes it possible to use the retaining,

pin for a greater length of time than would otherwise be feasible.

My invention provides an advantageous form of retaining device, e ecially adapted for draft rigging keys; a evice which can be easily and chea ly applied to the key and which is adapted or long service, because of its reversibility and because it presents a relatively large area of metal for engagement with the draft or center sill, thereby preventing a concentrated area of wear against the draft sill.

By virtue of the elongated head on the retaining pin, complete turning of said pin with respect to the key is generally prevented, as heretofore explained, although the pin is allowed to angle so as; to always present a side of relatively large area toward the draft sill or cheek plate thereon. On account of its relatively large diameter,

. the pin has ample strength for resisting the locking the draft keys in place, considerable loss and difiiculty has been encountered, be-

cause the relatively small cotter-pins are sheared off by the constant shearing or frictional engagement with the center sillsor reenforcing or cheeklates secured to the sills. This has not on y resulted in constant loss of cotter-pins, but has also resulted in the loss of the draft-keys, which has also caused a SBIIOIIS disarrangement of the draft riggin allowing the various elements to drop own onto the track, thereby causing derailment and possible injury, as well as. delay. W1th my relatively lar retaining pin, it is evident that this diflicu ty has been overcome; and while I believe the construction as shownvto be the best embodiment of the invention, certain modifications may be' made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a draft key provided with a circular opening near one end thereof, a retaining pin inserted through said opening, having a shank circular in crosssection and of a size to substantially fill said opening, said pin being provided with an elongated head having rounded ends, adapted to extend transversely of the draft key and having flat surfaces to be presented to- Ward the draft sills of a car, the lower end with an opening therethrough end, *a round retaining .pin of relatively of the pin being apertured in a direction parallel with the longer dimensions of said head, and a cotter pin disposed through-said aperture.

2. In combination, a draft key provided with an opening therethrough, and a retaining pin having a round shank of relatively large diameter and provided with an oblong head, with the width-of the head equal to the diameter of the shank to rovide a lar e bearing surface disposed t roughout t e head and shank. v

3. In combination, a draft ke provided 7 1 "large diameter and provided with an oblong secured to thelower end of the head, the sides of the head being flush with the adjacent sides of the shank, and means pin for retaining the-pin in place;

4.; A draft key having a circular aperture adjacent its end, and a T-bolt adapted to enter and turn within the aperture, such bolt having an elongated head.

5. A draft ke having a circular aperture adjacent its en a T-bolt adapted to enterand turn within the aperture, such bolt hav ing an elongated head, and means for retaming the bolt in place. a

v6. In combination, a draft key; provided with a circular opening near oneend the're-. of, a draft key retaining pin inserted through said opening, the shank of said'pin beingof a size to substantially fill said opening, said pin bein provided with an elongated head of a wi th. approximately equal to the thickness of the shank of the pin and of a length somewhat j acent one.

greater than the width thereof, the shank of the pin being arranged to protrude through the said draft key, and means for preventin loss of said pin, said means being engagea le with. the protruding portion of the shank of the pin, and being arranged in a direction'lengthwise of the head of said pin. I

' 7. In comb1nation,'a key having an aperturedend, a in of circular cross section and of relatively arge diameter, provided on one end with a relatively large elon ted head inserted-in said aperture, the ot er end of i said 'pin being perforated, and cotter means extending therethrough for preventing loss thereof.

8. In combination, a draft rigging .key having adjacent one end thereof ;a relatively large circular aperture and a in of circular cross section and correspon ing dliamete'r inserted in said a rture, said pin bein rovided with'a re atively large elongate elongated said a rture. 1 v

10. n combination, a relatively flatdraft rigging key provided with a relatively large aperture near one end thereof extending between upper and lower flat surfaces thereon, and a pin of'corresponding size inserted.

in said aperture, and an elongated headof relatively large size on oneend of said pin, the other end being provided with a cotterreceiving aperture.

KARL F. NYSTROM.

being presenting.

for the reception of locking means, and a cotter pin in 

